Fold away lamp for a sewing machine cabinet

ABSTRACT

A light source is pivotally mounted onto the front flap of a sewing machine cabinet so as to provide illumination for a sewing work support area when the machine is in operation; the light source also provides illumination for the work support area of a sewing machine cabinet even when the sewing machine is stored in the cabinet, and the light source itself may be stored in the sewing cabinet when so desired.

United States Patent Inventors Charles R. Odermann Montville; Albert L.Newman, Dover, both of NJ.

Appl. No. 38,949

May 20, 1970 Dec. 28, 1971 The Singer Company New York, N.Y.

FOLD AWAY LAMP FOR A SEWING MACHINE 5/1893 McGregor CABINET 2 Claims, 6Drawing Figs.

D051: 79/00 Field of Search 240/2.14, 2 D, 4; 248/291; [121217.1;312/26, 30

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1955 James 312/26 10/ 1 926Young 240/4 5/1931 Cameron, Jr. 240/4 8/1929 Simon 248/291 1/1942 Ingweret a]. 240/2. 14 X FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1960 Great Britain 240/2. 1 4

Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince Assistant Examiner-Daniel M. YasichAttorneys-Marshall J. Breen, Chester A. Williams, Jr. and

Robert E. Smith ABSTRACT: A light source is pivotally mounted onto thefront flap of a sewing machine cabinet so as to provide illumination fora sewing work support area when the machine is in operation; the lightsource also provides illumination for the work support area of a sewingmachine cabinet even when the sewing machine is stored in the cabinet,and the light source itself may be stored in the sewing cabinet when sodesired.

PATENIED M828 I97! SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTORS Charles R. Odermonn Albert L.Newman ATTORNEY WITNESS Pmmennmam 3631.235,

SHEET 2 UF 2 IN VEN TORS Charles R. Odermonn Albert L. Newman WITNESS:

M ATTORNEY FOLD AWAY LAMP FOR A SEWING MACHINE CABINET BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION In the prior art there are generally several methods ofilluminating a sewing work surface. One of these methods relies upon alight source being attached to the sewing machine frame itself andfoldable into the sewing cabinet with the sewing machine. This methodhas a drawback in that it does not provide a light source for thecabinet work surface when the machine is stored. The work surface of asewing machine cabinet is useful, even after the machine is stored, as aplace where patterns may be traced or it may be used as an ordinarydesk. With no means of illumination, the effectiveness of this utilityis diminished.

Another method relies upon simply bringing a light source over to thesewing cabinet and utilizing it as desired. The present inventionobviates the necessity for seeking a light source from an extraneousarea by mounting alight source on the sewing cabinet, so that it may beused when the machine is in use or when the machine is in storage withinthe cabinet.

A light source is provided which will enhance the uses of a sewingcabinet and also remain conveniently at hand but never in the way. Thelight source is pivotally mounted on the sewing machine cabinet for usewhen the machine is upright; when the machine is in storage; and thelight source itself may be stored in the cabinet without removing itfrom the cabinet.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improvedillumination source to be used when the sewing machine is in use andalso when the sewing machine is not in use but when an illuminated worksurface is desired.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improvedillumination source which is divorced from the sewing machine framewithout being divorced from the sewing machine cabinet.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an improvedillumination source which may be conveniently stored within the sewingcabinet independently of the position of the sewing machine.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved illuminationsource which may be used conveniently regardless of the position of thesewing machine.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved source ofillumination, which when in storage position leaves the work surface ofthe sewing cabinet a smooth continuous surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With the above, and additional objectsand advantages in view as will hereinafter appear, the inventioncomprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts describedand illustrated in the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodimentin which:

FIG. I is a perspective view, taken from the rear of a sewing machinecabinet with the cabinet body broken away, and partially sectioned toshow the manner in which the light source is attached to the front flapof the sewing machine cabinet;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to that of FIG. 1 showing a sewing machine instorage position, an additional work surface extension, and the frontflap of the sewing machine cabinet raised preparatory to raising thelight source;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to the view of FIG. 2 showing the light sourceraised to a position prior to the actual working position;

FIG. 4 is a view taken from the front side of the sewing cabinet withthe light source ready for use and with the sewing machine still instorage position;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to that of FIG. 4, showing more of the cabinetconstruction with the sewing machine now raised to a working position;

FIG. 6 is a partially cut away view of the sewing cabinet surface,enlarged with respect to the other views to show the detail of the lightsource construction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a sewing machine cabinet II, abody portion I2, and including a work-supporting area I3. Projectingfrom the work supporting area is an extension 14 of the work-supportingarea which may or may not be included as part of the sewing machinecabinet at the option of the cabinet maker. It is shown in some of thesedrawing for the sake of completeness. The sewing machine cabinet has arecessed storage well 15 beneath its work supporting area within thebody portion of the cabinet for storing a sewing machine 17.

Mounted above the sewing machine storage well as part of thework-supporting area are a pivotal front flap l9 and a removable wellcover insert 21. Both the pivotal front flap and the well cover insertconceal the storage well. Additionally, both the pivotal front flap andthe well cover insert are necessary to allow for the removal of thesewing machine stored within the storage well. The portions below thesurface of the front flap and of the well cover constitute interiorconcealed portions 23.

A light source 30 is mounted on the interior concealed portion of thefront flap. Such a light source could have been mounted on the interiorconcealed portion of any part of the work surface area and still remainwithin the purview of this invention. The light source is pivotallymounted to the sewing machine cabinet by means of the bracket 33 held tothe cabinet by screw 35.

It is in the preferred embodiment that this bracket is secured to thefront flap of the sewing machine cabinet as shown best in FIG. 6. Inthis embodiment the bracket is pivotally mounted in a cutout 36 providedin an interior concealed portion of the pivotal front flap.

The bracket is an L-shaped member having a base portion 37 and a coverportion 39. In the illuminating position as shown in FIG. 6, the baseportion 37 is readily apparent, while FIG. I best shows the coverportion 39 readily apparent when the lamp is in its stored position.

An electrical switch 40 is contained within the L" of the bracket and isused to energize the light source. No wiring has been shown to theelectrical source because any common wiring scheme will suffice.

The light source itself consists of several elements. A telescopinglight post 41 is provided in several sections of decreasingcross-sectional area upwardly from the bracket in which it is mounted. Astop 43 is provided on each section to prevent the post from beingpulled apart and also to provide a means for supporting the lamp in anextended position when it is in use. At the top of the lamp post is anenlarged member 44 which prevents the lamp from being pushed through thebracket when it is in storage position and which also provides amounting for an arm 45 which also is an element of the light source.

The arm 45 is a flexible element which connects the lamp (not shown), alamp shade 47, and the light post together. The arm is preferablyflexible so that the lamp can be focused as desired on the work surfacearea.

A clip 49 is provided on an interior concealed portion of the front flapand serves to hold the light source in place when the lamp is instorage. The clip is U"-shaped and engages the arm of the light sourcein its storage position.

The operation of this invention will be readily understood by followingthe progression of FIGS. 1 through 5. Initially the work supporting areaof a sewing machine cabinet consists of one continuous smooth plane. Thewell cover insert is removed and the front flap is pivoted upwardly. Thetelescoping post of the lamp is then fully extended upwardly and thenpivoted outwardly. If it is desired only to use the lamp to illuminatethe work surface without using the sewing machine, the front flap isthen pivoted downward and the well cover insert replaced. If is itdesired to use the sewing machine, the machine is elevated to theupright position and the front flap is again pivoted downwardly.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, material,arrangements of parts and operating conditions which have been describedherein and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the inventionmay be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scopeand principles of this invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what we claim hereinis:

1. In a sewing machine cabinet having a top formed with an exposedwork-supporting area, a storage well accessible through an accessopening in said top for accommodating a sewing machine in either astored position within said storage well or in an exposed operativeposition spanning said access opening, said cabinet top including apivotal front flap adjoining said access opening which may be opened toprovide clearance for movement of said sewing machine between stored andoperative positions; a light source; a support bracket for said lightsource, means pivotally mounting said support bracket in a cutout in thefront flap of the sewing machine cabinet so that said support bracketand said light source may be positioned in the storage well orselectively positioned in an illuminating position exteriorly of saidstorage well independently of the position of the sewing machine.

2. The sewing machine cabinet as recited in claim I wherein the bracketincludes an "L"-shaped member having a pair of arms, in which saidpivotal mounting means is located at the juncture of said pair of arms,in which one of said bracket arms provides a base for retaining thesupporting structure when said light source is in the illuminatingposition, and in which the other of said bracket arms provides a coverfor the cutout when the supporting structure and the light source is inthe stored position.

l k i II

1. In a sewing machine cabinet having a top formed with an exposed work-supporting area, a storage well accessible through an access opening in said top for accommodating a sewing machine in either a stored position within said storage well or in an exposed operative position spanning said access opening, said cabinet top including a pivotal front flap adjoining said access opening which may be opened to provide clearance for movement of said sewing machine between stored and operative positions; a light source; a support bracket for said light source, means pivotally mounting said support bracket in a cutout in the front flap of the sewing machine cabinet so that said support bracket and said light source may be positioned in the storage well or selectively positioned in an illuminating position exteriorly of said storage well independently of the position of the sewing machine.
 2. The sewing machine cabinet as recited in claim 1 wherein the bracket includes an L-shaped member having a pair of arms, in which said pivotal mounting means is located at the juncture of said pair of arms, in which one of said bracket arms provides a base for retaining the supporting structure when said light source is in the illuminating position, and in which the other of said bracket arms provides a cover for the cutout when the supporting structure and the light source is in the stored position. 